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anagnorisis

/ˌænægˈnɔrəsɪs/
IPA guide

Other forms: anagnorises

Anagnorisis is the crucial moment in a play, movie, or book when a character makes a stunning discovery. When Dorothy realizes that the red shoes could've taken her home from Oz the whole time, that's anagnorisis.

Anagnorisis is a Greek word meaning "recognition," and in ancient Greek literature the term referred to a hero's sudden realization of a situation's reality or the nature of a relationship with another character. The classic example is the moment Oedipus realizes he's killed his father and married his mother. Star Wars fans will recognize anagnorisis when Darth Vader says, "I am your father" in The Empire Strikes Back.

Definitions of anagnorisis
  1. noun
    the moment in a literary work when a character makes a startling or critical discovery
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    type of:
    instant, minute, moment, second
    a particular point in time
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